More Topics

Weather Forecast

Indigo Salon owner Sue Ryan sits in the salon's new location at 425 W. Third St. The salon officially moved to that space from Main Street last week. Ryan said the move has been a very positive one. (Republican Eagle photo by Sarah Gorvin)

Sue Ryan never considered moving Indigo Salon out of its storefront at 325 Main St. The longtime Red Wing salon owner had occupied the first and second floors of the Indigo Building since she opened New Year's Eve 1999.

Advertisement

Advertisement

But earlier this spring, Indigo Properties -- the building's owner -- leased a large portion of the second floor to the Red Wing Shoe Co. to house offices for its Vasque brand.

That meant that the Shoe's leased space overlapped with the salon's second-floor rooms, which housed the massage, facial and waxing rooms. Ryan got notice at the end of March that she needed to be out of that space June 1.

The pair immediately began scoping out properties in Red Wing. One of them was at 425 W. Third St.

"Just as we walked through the back door, both my brother and I just saw it," she said, adding that the pair immediately began making plans and figuring out how to lay out the new salon space.

Indigo Salon officially opened in that space June 10. It will continue to offer a full menu of services, including haircuts, styles, colors and up-dos, waxing, facials, pedicures and manicures and massages.

"It's bigger, it's better," Ryan said. "It's more logical."

Renovations to the space -- which previously housed Best of Times Bookstore -- began almost immediately after Ryan signed a seven-year lease with building owner Leslie Hakala in early April, she said. Working with her brother, Ryan was able to finish the new salon -- which included adding new trim, floors, paint and a bathroom -- in just seven weeks.

The salon didn't close during renovations. On June 8, the final move day, the salon's three stylists and one masseuse all pitched in to move supplies and furniture.

"Everybody did what they could. It was fun," Ryan said. "It was a cool thing. Who knew a bunch of hair dressers could pull this off?"

And though Ryan said she was always happy with her previous location on Main Street, the move to West Third has been only positive.

"It was like we came to the heart of Red Wing," she said.

Located across the street from Red Wing Public Library and just down from the Sheldon Theatre, the salon is seeing a lot more foot traffic, Ryan said. And with the Studebaker ramp just across the street, there's also more parking.

In addition, both Ryan and the stylists say the new salon is much more efficient. In the old space, services were split between the first and second floors. And the washer and dryer were housed in the building's basement.

In the new salon, everything is on the main floor, with the massage, facial and waxing rooms located directly behind the front salon portion. The new layout adds cohesiveness to the salon's services, Ryan said.

Sarah Gorvin has been with the Republican Eagle for two years and covers education, business and crime and courts. She graduated from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities in 2010 with a journalism degree.